Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to microphone technology, specifically in relation to the sound amplification of certain musical instruments, such as harmonica. The disclosed embodiments facilitate hands-free use of such microphones allowing the musician to play multiple instruments simultaneously, while performing, practicing, and/or recording.
Background Art
Control of audio feedback is important in live performances and studio recording situations, where microphones are used to capture the sound of various musical instruments. For example, a musician may be playing a harmonica and other musical instruments during a performance. Harmonica players have always struggled with audio feedback loops, i.e. the cacophonous screeching and humming noise of certain sound frequencies looping between the microphone and the amplification circuit, many times per second. The amplification of the harmonica has been particularly susceptible to this problem of feedback because the electric harmonica's generally desired sound (or tone) is made by taking high impedance omnidirectional microphones that were designed for radio broadcast and using them in a live performance situation with a high gain instrument amplifier.
When these existing ultra-sensitive “harmonica microphones” are used live and/or in conjunction with a hi-gain amplifier, feedback is introduced more quickly, and at lower volumes. As a result, electric harmonica players have not been able to play on stage at comparable volumes to other musicians without isolating themselves and the microphone from the amplified sound by standing in a different room, or a very long way away from the amplifier they have their microphone plugged into.
Further, because the design of these ‘harmonica microphones’ has the transducer (sound collector) exposed to the air, in order for the transducer to collect the harmonica's sound without feedback the harmonica player also needs to “cup” the microphone with his hands to protect the transducer form external sound waves, thereby prohibiting any hands-free use of such microphones.
As these problems associated with feedback and the harmonica microphone have been around for over fifty years, there have been some attempts in the past to come up with a solution. Some of the relevant prior art in this field are: U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,277 Sound attachment for a reed instrument by Strnad; U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,803, “Electric Mouth Organ Holder”, by Zema; U.S. Pat. No. 2,664,775, “Harmonica Apparatus”, by Zielinski; U.S. Pat. No. 2,945,408, “Harmonica and Microphone Pickup Therefor”, by Terlinde, etc.
Each of the prior art devices listed above makes attempts to solve the problems addressed by the present disclosure. However, none has incorporated all of the right elements in a package that is both practical and commercial. As such, these prior inventions have not been accepted by the harmonica playing community, nor have they met with any wide commercial success.
The present disclosure improves significantly on the prior art in the areas that most matter to a performing harmonica player and musician. The harmonica is different from most instruments because the player cannot look to see physically where he is on the instrument because of the close proximity and disposition of the mouth and the eyes, and the involvement of the hand “cupping” the device. He must use his motor memory skills. The harmonica player gets to know where he is on the instrument by the position and shape of his hands next to his mouth, or where the harmonica lies, in the harmonica brace, in relation to his mouth. The prior art inventions listed above force the player to hold his harmonica and microphone in a very different manner to the way he is accustomed to holding it. This creates a situation whereby the musician must relearn how to play his instrument, something that is counter intuitive and prohibitive to producing good music.